Closed-grid bus architecture for wafer interconnect structure

ABSTRACT

An interconnect structure employs a closed-grid bus to link an integrated circuit tester channel to an array of input/output (I/O) pads on a semiconductor wafer so that the tester channel can concurrently communicate with all of the I/O pads. The interconnect structure includes a circuit board implementing an array of bus nodes, each corresponding to a separate one of the I/O pads. The circuit board includes at least two layers. Traces mounted on a first layer form a set of first daisy-chain buses, each linking all bus nodes of a separate row of the bus node array. Traces mounted on a second circuit board layer form a set of second daisy-chain buses, each linking all bus nodes of a separate column of the bus node array. Vias and other circuit board interconnect ends of the first and second daisy-chain buses so that they form the closed-grid bus. Each bus node is connected though a separate isolation resistor to a separate contact pad mounted on a surface of the circuit board. A set of spring contacts or probes link each contact pad to a separate one of the I/O pads on the wafer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to an interconnect structurefor providing signal paths between test equipment and contact pads on asemiconductor wafer, and in particular to a wafer interconnect structureemploying a closed-grid bus to distribute signals to several integratedcircuit devices under test.

2. Description of Related Art

In many applications microstrip or stripline traces convey a logicsignal from a single source to many nodes on a printed circuit board(PCB). For example traces on a motherboard commonly distribute data,address and control lines of computer buses to sockets holdingdaughterboards, or traces on a PCB may distribute a clock signal toseveral synchronously operating integrated circuits (ICs) mounted on thePCB.

A typical integrated circuit (IC) tester includes a test head structurecontaining a set of tester channels. Each tester channel may eithertransmit a test signal to an IC input/output (I/O) terminal or monitor aIC output signal appearing at an IC I/O terminal to determine whetherthe IC is behaving as expected in response to its input signals. WhenICs are tested while still in the form of die on a semiconductor wafer,a “prober” typically holds a wafer adjacent to the test head andprovides a set of probes contacting I/O pads of one or more ICs. Aninterconnect structure is provided to link the tester channels to theprobes. A typical interconnect structure includes a circuit board havingupper and lower surfaces containing contact pads. A separate pogo pinextending from each tester channel contacts a separate one of the uppersurface contact pads. An “interposer” mounted between the circuit boardand the prober includes spring contacts linking the contact pads on thelower surface of the circuit board to the probes. Traces on variouslayers of the circuit board, and vias interconnecting those tracesprovide appropriate signal paths between the upper and lower contactpads.

Normally the interconnect structure links each tester channel to only asingle I/O pad of a single IC. However in some cases, for example when atester channel is supplying power to ICs under test, the interconnectstructure may connect a single channel to more than power supply pad.

Since there are usually more I/O pads than available tester channels, anIC tester can test only a portion of the ICs on the wafer at any onetime. Thus the “prober” holding the wafer must reposition the waferunder the probes several times so that all ICs can be tested. It wouldbe advantageous if all ICs on a wafer could be contacted and testedconcurrently without having to reposition the wafer.

One way to reduce the number of tester channels needed to do this is toconcurrently connect the same tester channel to corresponding I/O padsof a large number of ICs on the wafer. For example an IC tester tests arandom access memory (RAM) by writing data into each RAM address,reading it back out, and determining whether the data read out of theRAM matches the data written into it. When the tester has a sufficientnumber of channels to separately access I/O pads of more than one RAM,it can independently test several RAMs concurrently.

However it is also possible for a tester to concurrently test severalRAMs without requiring so many tester channels by connecting the dataand address I/O pads of several RAMs in parallel to the same set oftester channels while connecting the control I/O pads of the RAMs toseparate tester channels. This arrangement enables the tester toconcurrently write access several RAMs while allowing it toconsecutively read access each RAM. The arrangement therefore reducesthe number of write cycles needed to test the RAMs, substantiallyreduces the number of channels needed to concurrently test all of theRAMs on the wafer, and eliminates the need to position the wafer underthe interconnect structure more than once. Thus instead of providing aset of signal paths, each connecting a single tester channel to a singleIC pad, an interconnect structure for a wafer-level tester could providea set of buses, each providing a path from a single tester channel to alarge number probes accessing IC pads.

When such buses are formed by traces on a printed circuit board (PCB)each bus should make efficient use of PCB area since many buses mustshare a relatively small amount of PCB area above each IC. Also each busshould deliver the signal to ICs with as little variation in edge timingas possible and with as little distortion as possible.

Logic signals have been commonly distributed to many nodes on a PCBusing stripline or microstrip traces in a “daisy-chain”, or “star” or“stubbed” bus configurations. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventionaldaisy-chain bus configuration wherein traces 10 on a PCB 12 connect aset of bus nodes 14 in series to route an incoming signal (IN) to eachbus node. The daisy-chain configuration makes efficient use of PCBspace. However since each IN signal edge must travel a relatively largedistance between the first and last nodes 13 and 15, and must charge ICinput capacitance as it arrives at several intermediate nodes 14, thetime difference between detection of IN signal edges by ICs connected tonodes 13 and 15 can be relatively large. A long-daisy chain bus can alsoseverely distort the signal wave front as it passes from node-to-node;the last node on the bus will see substantially slower rise time thanthe first. Such wave front distortion tends to increase the variation insignal path delay between the first and last nodes 13 and 15 on thedaisy-chain bus.

A daisy-chain bus is also intolerant of open-circuit faults; an opencircuit fault anywhere on the daisy-chain bus will prevent the signalfrom reaching any node beyond the fault. Since an interconnect structurefor a wafer-level tester would have a large number buses formed by smalltraces, since each bus would include a large number of nodes on eachbus, and since each bus would be implemented by small traces, therewould be many places on the bus were a fault could occur, and any onefault would render the interconnect structure unsuitable for use in awafer-level tester interconnect system since several ICs on each waferwould be untestable.

FIG. 2 illustrates a star bus in which the incoming signal is directlylinked to each node 14 by a separate trace 16. A star bus has a numberof advantages over a daisy-chain bus. Though not apparent in FIG. 2,when all traces 16 are of similar length, input signal edges will arriveat all nodes 14 at substantially the same time. A star bus distorts andattenuates signals less than a daisy-chain bus, and every node 14 seessubstantially the same wave front shape. A star bus is also relativelymore tolerant of open circuit faults than a daisy-chaining bus since anopen circuit on any trace 16 will prevent the signal for reaching onlyone node 14. However even a single open circuit fault wouldnone-the-less render an interconnect structure employing a star busunsuitable in a wafer-testing because it would mean that one IC on eachwafer would be untestable. Also since a star bus requires substantialamounts of circuit board space, it, would be unsuitable as a bus in aninterconnect structure for a wafer-level IC tester where a large numberof buses would be concentrated into a small area.

FIG. 3 illustrates a prior art stubbed bus arrangement. The stubbed busof FIG. 3 includes a core daisy-chain bus 20 and several daisy-chainbranch buses or “stubs” 18. Each stub 18 has a proximal end connected tocore bus 20 and a distal end remote from core bus 20. The traces ofstubbed bus of FIG. 3 use about the same amount of PCB space as thedaisy-chain bus of FIG. 1, but the stubbed bus substantially reducesvariation in timing of signal edges arriving at its nodes because itreduces the variation in signal path distance the incoming signal musttravel in reaching the nearest and most distant nodes 21 and 22.

The stubbed bus arrangement is often preferable over the star busarrangement of FIG. 2 when a moderate variation in input timing at nodes14 is acceptable because it uses less circuit board space. However thereduction in signal path delay variation over that of a daisy-chain busis not as great as we might expect based on the decrease in signal pathdistances alone.

FIG. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a portion of a stubbed businterconnect system 30 distributing a test signal from a tester channel32 to I/O pads 34 of a set of ICs 36-38. The input impedance of each IC36-38 is modeled as a capacitor 39 (e.g., 5 pf) in series with aninductor 40 (e.g., 1.5 nH). The interconnect system is modeled as a setof 50 Ohm lossy transmission line segments 42 having series inductance(e.g., 333 nh/meter), series resistance (e.g. 0.5 Ohm/meter) and shuntcapacitance (e.g., 133.3 pf/meter). An isolation resistor 46 (e.g., 1000Ohms) is provided between bus each node on the PCB and an IC I/O pad 34.Isolation resistors 46 limit the load tester channel 32 and prevent ashort circuit fault at or near any I/O pad 34 from severely attenuatinga test signal passing though interconnect system 30.

Assume tester channel 32 produces a square wave test signal rising froma low logic level to a high logic level. As the test signal edge travelsfrom tester channel 32 to all pads 34 via interconnect system 30, theinterconnect system distorts the signal, and the wave front appears alittle different to each IC I/O pad 34. FIG. 5 is a timing diagramillustrating the appearance of a test signal wave front 50 as it may beseen by the I/O pad 34 of the IC 36 connected to the node 21 nearest tochannel 32 and the test signal wave front 52 as seen by the I/O pad 34of the IC 38 connected to the node 22 most distant from channel 32. Wavefront 50 begins its rise at time T1, and wave front 52 begins its rise ashort time later at time T2. The time delay T2−T1 represents the time asignal requires to travel between the node 21 and node 22 via the mostdirect path. That delay is a function of the minimum signal pathdistance between the two nodes. If we assume that the ICs 36 and 38recognize a state change in the test signal when its wave front risesabove a threshold level (T/H) midway between the signals nominal highand low logic levels, then IC 36 will see the state change at time T3and IC 38 will see the state change at time T4. Note that the delaybetween times T3 and T4 at which ICs 36 and 38 detect state changes issubstantially larger than the signal path delay (T2−T1) between the twoICs.

Note also that the effective difference in signal timing at the busnodes is thus much greater than can be accounted for by the differencein signal path lengths between the two ICs. The additional delay iscaused by the difference in signal distortion. Note that wave front 50rises more rapidly toward the T/H than wave front 52. This happensbecause the early portions of the wave front reaching ends of stubs arereflected back to node 21 adding to the rate at which capacitance atthat node is charged prior to time T3. Since the IC 38 most distant fromthe test signal source 32 seeing signal 52 is near the end of a stub,the reflection has a more pronounced effect at the end of signal 52.Note the substantial overshoot of waveform 52 of FIG. 5.

The daisy-chain bus of FIG. 1 requires the IN signal to travel through19 path segments when it travels between the first and last nodes 13 and15. The stubbed bus of FIG. 3 requires the IN signal to travel throughonly 5 segments of similar length when traveling between the two mostwidely separated nodes 21 and 22. Thus when we abandon the daisy-chainbus of FIG. 1 in favor of the stubbed bus of FIG. 3, we might expect a{fraction (14/19)}ths reduction in signal timing variation. However FIG.5 tells us that we would be disappointed; we would see a reduction insignal timing variation, but not as much as we would have expected. Thestubbed bus also distorts the signals more than a daisy-chain and canproduce substantial overshoot at the bus nodes. The signal distortioncaused by reflections at the stubs ends is very much a function of thelayout of the stub network, termination and transmission line impedancesand signal frequencies. However that distortion will typically augmentthe variation in signal path delay.

Like a daisy-chain bus, an open circuit fault on the stubbed bus canprevent the input signal from reaching more than one node 14. Hence anopen circuit fault in a stubbed bus incorporated into an interconnectsystem for a wafer-level integrated circuit would also render theinterconnect system unsuitable for use.

What is needed is a transmission line structure for conveying a signalto several PCB nodes that makes more efficient use of PCB space than astar bus, exhibits substantially less variation in signal path delaythan a daisy-chain bus, provides less distortion than a daisy-chain orstubbed bus, and maintains signal integrity at all nodes in spite of anopen-circuit fault.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An interconnect structure in accordance with the invention employs aclosed-grid bus to link an integrated circuit tester channel to an arrayof input/output (I/O) pads on a semiconductor wafer so that the testerchannel can concurrently communicate with all of the I/O pads.

The interconnect structure includes a circuit board with sets of contactpads mounted on its upper and lower surfaces. Each upper surface contactpad suitably receives a pogo pin, coax cable or other conductor from acorresponding one of the tester channels. Spring contacts formed on thesemiconductor wafer suitably link each wafer I/O pad to a separate oneof the contact pads on the lower surface of the circuit board.

Traces on the circuit board implement an array of bus nodes, eachcorresponding to a separate one of the I/O pads on the wafer. Thecircuit board includes at least two layers. Traces mounted on a firstcircuit board layer form a set of first daisy-chain buses, each linkingall bus nodes of a separate row of the bus node array. Traces mounted ona second circuit board layer form a set of second daisy-chain buses,each linking all bus nodes of separate column of the bus node array.Vias and other circuit board interconnect ends of the first and seconddaisy-chain buses so that they form the closed-grid bus interconnectingall of the bus nodes.

The closed-grid bus makes nearly as efficient use of available space onthe PCB layers as conventional stubbed and daisy-chain buses, yetproduces less variation in signal path delay between bus nodes, providesless signal distortion and is more tolerant of open circuit faults.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a bus fordistributing a signal to several nodes.

The concluding portion of this specification particularly points out anddistinctly claims the subject matter of the present invention. Howeverthose skilled in the art will best understand both the organization andmethod of operation of the invention, together with further advantagesand objects thereof, by reading the remaining portions of thespecification in view of the accompanying drawing(s) wherein likereference characters refer to like elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional daisy-chain bus,

FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional star bus;

FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional stubbed bus;

FIG. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a portion of the stubbed busof FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram illustrating the appearance of test signalwave fronts at two nodes of the stubbed bus of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a simplified side elevation view of a test head of awafer-level integrated circuit tester accessing integrated circuitsimplemented on a semiconductor wafer via an interconnect structureemploying a closed-grid bus in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 7 is a simplified electrical block diagram of the test head, wafer,and interconnect system of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an example a closed-grid bus in accordance withthe invention,

FIG. 9 is a timing diagram illustrating the appearance of a test signalwave front as seen by the two I/O pads on the wafer of FIG. 6 arrivingvia the close-grid bus of FIG. 8;

FIGS. 10-12 illustrate modified versions of the closed-grid bus of FIG.8,

FIG. 13 is a simplified plan view of a portion of a semiconductor wafercontaining an array of ICs,

FIGS. 14-18 are simplified (not to scale) plan views of portions of eachof five layers of an interconnect structure in accordance with theinvention implementing six closed-grid buses in accordance with theinvention, and

FIG. 19 is a plan view of the layers of FIGS. 14-16 superimposed on oneanother.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

FIG. 6 is a simplified side elevation view of a test head 60 of awafer-level integrated circuit tester accessing integrated circuits 62implemented on a semiconductor wafer 64 via an interconnect system 66.FIG. 7 is a simplified electrical block diagram of test head 60, wafer64 and interconnect system 66 of FIG. 6. For simplicity test head 60 isillustrated in FIG. 7 as including a set of only seven tester channelsCH1-CH7, though a test head will typically include many more channels.Each tester channel CH1-CH7 is capable of sending a test signal to anI/O pad 74 of one or more of ICs 62 or of monitoring an IC output signalappearing at one or more IC pads to determine whether the IC is behavingas expected. All ICs 62 on wafer 64 are similar and therefore have asimilar I/O pad arrangement. For simplicity only five I/O pads 74 areshown in FIG. 7 and test head 60 is illustrated in FIG. 7 as including aset of only seven tester channels CH1-CH7. However each IC 62 has manymore than five I/O pads 74 and the tester includes many more than seventester channels.

In some applications it is possible to allow the same tester channel toconcurrently access corresponding pads of more than one IC 62. Forexample, an IC tester typically tests a random access memory (RAM) bywriting data into each RAM address, reading it back out, and determiningwhether the data read out of the RAM matches the data written into it.In such application interconnect system 66 may connect the data, addressand some of the control I/O pads 74 of several RAMs in parallel to thesame set of tester channels while connecting, for example only aread/write control I/O pad of the RAMs to separate tester channels. Withsuch interconnect arrangement, the tester can concurrently write accessseveral RAMs then successively read access each RAM. Such aninterconnect arrangement can reduce the number of channels needed totest all the ICs on a wafer or reduce the number of times the wafer hasto be repositioned under the interconnect structure and reduces thetotal number of write cycles needed to test all of the RAMs. Thusinterconnect system 66 can speed up wafer testing.

The present invention relates to the manner in which interconnectstructure 66 links various tester channels CH1-CH7 to more than one ICI/O pad. Note that as shown in FIG. 7, while interconnect structure 66links each of channels CH5-CH7 to a pad of a separate one of ICs 62,interconnect structure 66 links each channel CH1-CH4 to correspondingI/O pads 74 to three ICs 62. Interconnect structure 66 also links someeach of channels CH5-CH7 to a corresponding pad of a separate one of ICs62.

Interconnect structure 66 includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 68, aset of pogo pins 70 and a set of spring contacts 72. The conductivespring contacts 72 are formed on the upper surface of wafer 64, eachextending upward from a separate I/O pad 74 to contact one of a set ofcontact pads 80 formed on an underside of interconnect structure 66.Pogo pins 70 (or, alternatively, other conductors such as coaxialcables) extend downward from channels CH1-CH7 to contact a set of pad81-87 formed on the upper surface of circuit board 68. PCB 68 includestraces and vias forming a set of buses 91-94 linking pads 81-84 to a setof bus nodes 76. A set of isolation resistors 78 link each bus node 76to a corresponding pad 80. Other signal paths 95-97 link, pads 85-87 tocorresponding ones of pads 80 via others of isolation resistors 78.

Resistors 78 are isolation resistors; they prevent a short to ground atany I/O pad from affecting the ability of any bus 91-94 to convey testor IC output signals to other I/O pads 74. Thus a short circuit in anyIC 62 will not inhibit testing of other ICs. Isolation resistors 78 alsoreduce the loading on the channels CH1-CH7. Isolation resistors 78 neednot be necessarily be included in the signal paths connecting channelsCH5-CH7 to ICs 62.

Interconnect Bus Architecture Criteria

The present invention relates in particular to the architecture of thebuses 91-94 within PCB 68, each of which distributes a test signal fromone of channels CH1-CH4 arriving at one of pads 81-84 to several busnodes 76, or conveys IC output signals arriving at any of several nodes76 back to one of pads 81-84. As discussed in detail below, the signalpaths within PCB 68 are formed by traces on various layers of the PCBand vias linking the layers. Although only four buses 91-94 are shown inthe simple example of FIG. 7, a practical implementation of interconnectstructure 66 may include a large number of such buses concentrated intoa relatively small volume. For example to concurrently test severalmemory ICs having 64 data and address lines PCB 68 could implement 64such interconnect buses.

To facilitate proper signal timing during a test, it is important tokeep variations in signal path delay between any channel CH1-CH4 andeach IC I/O pad to which it is linked within a relatively narrow range.For test signals, the signal path delay is the time interval between themoment one of channels CH1-CH4 generates a state change in an outputtest signal and the time one of ICs 62 detects that state change in thetest signal as it arrives at a pad. For IC output signals, the signalpath delay is the time interval between the moment an IC 62 produces astate change in an output signal at an I/O pad 74 and the time one ofchannels CH1-CH4 detects output signal the state change. Thus we wouldalso like to provide buses 91-94 that limit variations in signal pathdelay.

A prior art “daisy-chain” bus architecture as illustrated in FIG. 1 canmake efficient use of available PCB trace space. Implementing buses91-94 as daisy-chain buses would have several drawbacks. Since an inputsignal (IN) is attenuated as it passes each node 14, a daisy-chain buscan severely attenuate a signal by the time it reaches the node 15 mostdistant from the signal sources. Also the variation in signal path delaybetween a first and last nodes of a daisy-chain bus can be large, and anopen circuit fault anywhere in the daisy-chain bus can prevent the testsignal from arriving at one or more circuit nodes.

A prior art “star” bus as illustrated in FIG. 2 provides a separatesignal path 16 from an input signal source to each node 14, and (thoughnot shown in FIG. 2) when the paths are designed to be of similarlength, a star bus can provide a similar signal path delay for allnodes. However a star bus would be unsuitable for implementing buses91-94 because it does not make very efficient use of PCB space. Also anopen circuit fault in a star bus would prevent a signal from arriving ata node 76, thereby preventing the tester from properly testing one ofICs 62.

FIG. 3 illustrates a prior art stubbed bus formed by a daisy chain corebus 20 to which several daisy-chain branches or “stubs” 18 areconnected. A stubbed bus would be preferable over either the daisy-chainor star bus of FIGS. 1 and 2 for implementing buses 91-94 because itmakes more efficient use of PCB space than a star bus and transmitssignals with less attenuation and signal path delay variation than adaisy-chain bus. However reflections at the ends of the stubs 20 causesignal distortion and increase variation in signal path delay, and anopen circuit fault anywhere in the stubbed bus would prevent the testerfrom properly testing one or more of ICs 62.

In accordance with the invention, each bus 91-94 is implemented as a“closed-grid” bus. As discussed below, a closed-grid bus makes almost asefficient use of PCB space as a stubbed bus, but does not produces asmuch signal distortion or signal timing variation as a stubbed bus. Aclosed-grid bus is also tolerant of open circuit faults in theconductors forming the bus because it provides redundant paths betweeneach bus node 76 and one of contact pads 81-87. Thus when implemented asclosed-grid buses, any of buses 91-94 can have one (or more) oneopen-circuit faults while still maintaining test signal integrity at allbus nodes 76.

Closed-Grid Bus Architecture

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an example a “closed-grid” bus 100 inaccordance with the invention for distributing a test signal (TEST)arriving at a pad 101 to a set of 20 bus nodes 108-127. Nodes 108-127,similar in function to bus nodes 76 of FIG. 7, may be similarly linkedthrough isolating resistors and spring contacts to I/O pads of ICs undertest.

Closed-grid bus 100 may be thought of as an improvement to theconventional stubbed bus illustrated in FIG. 3. Like the stubbed bus,closed-grid bus 100 includes a set of traces forming a core bus 102 andforming several branch buses 104 having proximal ends connected to thecore bus. However unlike a stubbed bus, an additional set of traces 106link points at (or near) the distal ends of adjacent branch buses 104.Thus core bus 102, branch buses 104 and traces 106 form a grid providingthe incoming TEST signal with more than one path to each node 109-127.Note also that the grid is “closed” in that it has no unconnected stubends of substantialy length relative to the wave length of the signalbeing conveyed by the bus; all signal paths are loops and there is morethan one path to each bus node.

Assume the TEST signal input to pad 101 is driven from a low logic levelto a high logic level and that receiver, circuits in the ICs under testdetermine that the TEST signal changes state when it rises above athreshold level midway between its low and high logic levels. We wouldlike the voltage at each node 108-127 to rise to that threshold level asnearly as possible at the same time to minimize variation in time atwhich receiver circuits linked bus nodes 108-127 detect a TEST signalstate change.

The TEST signal will drive all of nodes 108-127 to the high voltagelevel, but first it must supply enough energy into each node to chargethe input capacitance of the IC pad linked to that node. Since the TESTsignal edge arrives at node 108 before it arrives at any other node109-127, it will begin charging the capacitance at node 108 before itbegins charging the capacitance at any other. The TEST signal will begincharging nodes 126 and 127 last since it must travel the greatestdistance to reach those nodes. When the wave front of the incoming TESTsignal reaches node 108, only a portion of the TEST signal energy passesinto node 108 and begins charging the capacitance at that node. Much ofthe TEST signal energy passes on to nodes 109, 110 and 113, and some ofthe TEST signal energy is reflected back toward pad 101. A similarsplitting and reflection of TEST signal energy happens as the TESTsignal wave front reaches each other node 109-127. Since such splittingof TEST signal energy at each node helps to reduce the variation insignal path delay, it is helpful to provide as many paths as possiblebetween nodes.

Referring to the prior art stubbed bus of FIG. 3, when the IN signalwave front arrives at nodes 24 and 25, all of the energy that cannot beimmediately absorbed into nodes 24 and 25 is reflected back to node 21because the stubbed bus architecture gives that excess energy no placeelse to go. Since the reflected energy can be substantial, it cansubstantially increase the charging rate at node 21. Waveform 50 of FIG.5 represents the voltage rise we might see at node 21. The distortion inthe early part of waveform 50 prior to time T3 is due primary to thesubstantial signal reflection at 24 and 25. The distortion in waveform50 around time T3 due to reflections from the stub ends causes waveform50 to reach the threshold logic level (T/H) quickly. Waveform 52 of FIG.5 represents the voltage rise at the most distant node 22 of the stubbedbus of FIG. 3. Unlike waveform 50, waveform 52 does not exhibit have alarge bump from signal reflections during the early part of its risebecause energy from reflections is more evenly distributed by the timeit reaches node 22. Thus waveform 52 rises to the threshold level moreslowly. The difference in rise time to the threshold levels of waveforms50 and 52 increases the difference (T4−T3) between the signal pathdelays.

The closed-grid bus 100 of FIG. 8 reduces the reflections by providingthe additional traces 106 interconnecting the stub ends. Thus when theTEST signal wave front arrives at nodes 111 and 112, much of the excessenergy travels on to nodes 116 and 117 and to other nodes 114, 115, 121,122 and beyond, and less of the excess TEST signal energy is reflectedback toward node 108. With less energy being reflected back to node 108from nodes 111 and 112, capacitance at node 108 does not charge as fastas it would if traces 106 were omitted. Since node 108 of theclosed-grid bus of FIG. 8 does not increase to the logic thresholdvoltage as fast as node 21 of the stubbed bus of FIG. 3, the closed-gridbus exhibits less variation in signal path delay.

FIG. 9 is a timing diagram illustrating the appearance of a test signalwave front 130 as seen by the I/O pad of an IC connected to node 108 anda TEST signal wave front 132 as seen by an I/O pad an IC connected tonode 127. Wave front 130 begins its rise at time T1 and wave front 132begins its rise a short time later at time T2. The time delay T2−T1represents the time the wave front requires to travel between the node108 and 127. The IC pad connected to node 108 will detect a state changeat time T3 and the IC connected to node 127 will see a state change attime T4. We see that the time difference T4−T3 is smaller for theclosed-grid system as may seen in FIG. 9 than for the stubbed bus systemas may be seen from FIG. 5. Since less reflected TEST signal energyreturns to node 108 prior to time T3, the node does not charge asquickly to the threshold level as node 21 of FIG. 3. Thus theclosed-grid bus has less variation in signal path delay than a similarlyarranged stubbed bus.

We can also see by comparing FIGS. 9 and 5, that waveforms 130 and 132of the closed-grid bus are less distorted than the waveforms 50 and 52of the stubbed bus and exhibit less overshoot. Thus the closed-grid busof the present invention maintains better signal integrity than theprior art stubbed bus.

Note that a single fault anywhere in closed-grid bus 100 (other thanbetween pad 101 and node 108) will not prevent the TEST signal fromarriving at any node 108-127 because there are more than one signal pathbetween bus node 108 to any other bus node. Thus closed-grid bus 100 isopen-circuit fault tolerant. When we implement buses 91-94 of FIG. 7with a closed-grid bus, it would require at least two open-circuitfaults in one of buses 91-94 to render the interconnect system 66 unableto deliver signals between a pad 81-84 and the nodes 76 linked by thebus.

FIG. 10 illustrates a closed-grid bus 134 similar to closed-grid bus 100of FIG. 8 except that it includes an additional set of traces 136interconnecting nodes 109, 114, 119, and 124, and interconnecting nodes110, 115, 120 and 125. Traces 136 further reduce the signal reflections,for example, from nodes 109 and 110 back to node 108 because theyprovide additional pathways to convey current away from those nodes.Thus the additional pathways 136 in closed-grid system 134 furtherreduce the variation in signal path delay over closed-grid system 100 ofFIG. 8. However the reduction in signal path delay variation obtained byadding traces 136 to bus 100 of FIG. 8 is much smaller than is obtainedby adding traces 106 to convert the stubbed bus of FIG. 3 into theclosed-grid bus of FIG. 8. Referring to FIG. 8, it is more helpful toreduce reflections at the nodes 111 and 112 at ends of stubs nearest thefirst node 108 since those reflections carry the most energy and arriveback at node 108 early, thereby accelerating the voltage build-up atnode 108 to the threshold level. However bus 134 of FIG. 10 is somewhatmore fault tolerant than bus 100 of FIG. 10 because it provides moresignal paths to bus nodes 109, 110, 114, 115, 119, 120, 124 and 125.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternative version of the closed-grid bus ofFIG. 8 in which conductor 106 are connected substantially near, but notprecisely at the distal ends of the daisy-chain buses linking four rowsof bus nodes 108-127. Thus in the bus of FIG. 19 destination nodes 111,112, 116, 117, 121, 122, 126 and 127 are at the ends of short stubs.However the bus of FIG. 19 still comprises a closed-grid bus and willbehave in a manner substantially similar to the closed-grid bus of FIG.if those short stubs are relatively small in relation to the wavelengthof the highest frequency signal to be conveyed by the bus. Thus we canconvert the prior art stubbed bus of FIG. 3 to a closed grid bus bylinking adjacent stubs at points either at or near their ends.

FIG. 12 illustrates another closed-grid bus 140 that is generallysimilar to bus 100 of FIG. 8 except that, rather than being linked tonode 108 at one end of the bus, pad 101 is linked to the bus betweennodes 113 and 118 at a point 142 having the smallest maximum distance toany node. This further reduces the variation in pad-to-node signal pathdelay.

Example PCB Layout

FIG. 13 is a simplified plan view of a portion of an examplesemiconductor wafer 150 containing a 4×5 array of ICs 152, each IChaving 6 pads 154. FIGS. 14-19 describe a layout for a PCB within aninterconnect structure that will provide six closed-grid buses, eachlinking a separate set of twenty corresponding I/O pads 154 of alltwenty ICs 152 to a separate tester channel.

FIG. 14 is a simplified (not to scale) plan view of a portion of the toplayer 121 of the PCB. A set of six conductive pads 158 are arranged onlayer 156 to receive pogo pin or coaxial conductors from the sixchannels. A set of traces 160, suitably of similar length, link pads 158to a set of six vias 162 passing downward to a next lower layer of thePCB.

FIG. 15 is a simplified (not to scale) plan view of a portion of thatnext lower layer 122. Layer 122 includes a set of eighteen traces 164extending along “east/west” axes. The six vias 162 from top layer 121are each linked to a separate one of traces 164. A separate set of fourvias 166 link each trace 164 to traces on a next lower PCB layer.

FIG. 16 is a simplified (not to scale) plan view of a portion the layer123 residing below layer 122 of FIG. 15. Layer 123 includes a set of 24traces 168, extending generally along “north/south”. Vias 166 linknorth/south tracts 168 to the east/west traces 164 of layer 122 (FIG.15). Vias 166 and an additional set of vias 170 link north/south traces168 to the next lower layer.

FIG. 17 illustrates the layer 124 below layer 123. Layer 124 includes aset of 120 thin film isolation resistors 172. One end of each isolationresistor 172 is linked to a north/south trace 168 of layer 123 (FIG. 16)through a separate one of vias 166 or 170. A separate via 174 links asecond end of each isolation resistor 172 to a next PCB lower layer.

FIG. 18 illustrates the lowest layer 125 on the underside of the PCB.Layer 125 includes a set of contact pads 176, each linked to anisolation resistor 172 of layer 124 (FIG. 17) through a via 174. Pads176 are arranged to receive ends of spring contacts extending upwardfrom the pads on ICs 152 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 19 is a plan view of three layers 121-123 of FIGS. 14-16superimposed on one another. Vias 180 thus form an array of several rowsand columns of bus nodes wherein each bus node corresponds to a separateone of the I/O pads of the wafer being tested. The east/west traces 164form one set of daisy-chain buses, each linking all bus nodes of aseparate rows of the array and the north/south traces 168 form anotherset of daisy-chain bus, each linking all bus nodes of separate column ofbus nodes. Many of vias 180 act as conductors linking the daisy-chainbuses such that each end of each east/west daisy-chain bus is linked toan end of at least one north/south daisy-chain bus, thereby forming aset of six closed-grid buses 181-188, each interconnecting an array of20 nodes 180 to one of the six pogo pin contact pads 15 thatconductively link the closed-grid buses to the tester channels. Theisolation resistors 172 of FIG. 17, contact pads 176 of FIG. 17 andspring contacts, conductively link each node (via) 180 to acorresponding IC I/O pad.

In the simple example of FIGS. 13-19, all six I/O pads 154 of each IC150 or FIG. 13 are separately linked to the six pogo-pin contacts 158 ofFIG. 14 through one of closed-grid buses 181-186. However theinterconnect structure can be easily modified, for example, by providingadditional circuit board layers to provide conventional (non-bus) signalpaths between additional pogo pin contacts 158 on the surface layer 121(FIG. 14) and other I/O pads on ICs 152. Also the pads 176 on layer 125could be linked to I/O pads of the wafer under test by means other thanspring contacts formed on the wafer. For example, a conventionalinterposer could link pads 176 to a prober accessing the wafer I/O padsthrough probes. Spring contacts could alternatively be formed on thelayer 125 and extend downward to contact the wafer I/O pads.

Thus has been shown and described a closed-grid bus in accordance withthe invention for distributing signals to several nodes, and aninterconnect structure employing a closed-grid bus for linking channelsof an IC tester to pads of multiple integrated circuits on a wafer. Theclosed-grid bus architecture, which can be efficiently implemented bytraces on a multiple layer PCB, provides less variation in signal pathdelay, provides less signal distortion, maintains better signalintegrity and is more fault tolerant than prior art daisy-chain andstubbed buses.

While the forgoing specification has described preferred embodiment(s)of the present invention, one skilled in the art may make manymodifications to the preferred embodiment without departing from theinvention in its broader aspects. The appended claims therefore areintended to cover all such modifications as fall within the true scopeand spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for concurrently conveying a testsignal between an integrated circuit tester channel and a plurality ofinput/output (I/O) pads on surfaces of integrated circuits formed asemiconductor wafer, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of firstconductive paths spaced from one another, each having a distal end and aproximal end; a plurality of conductive contacts, each contacting thedistal end of a separate one of the first conductive paths, theconductive contacts being arranged for also concurrently contacting theI/O pads with each conductive contact contacting a separate one of theI/O pads; a closed-grid bus comprising a plurality of printed circuitboard (PCB) traces and a plurality of PCB vias forming a conductive gridhaving a plurality of conductive loops, wherein each portion of each PCBtrace forms a part of at leant one of the conductive loops, and whereinthe conductive loops contact the proximal ends of the conductive paths;and a second conductive path linking the closed-grid bus to theintegrated circuit tester channel, such that the test signal passesthrough the second conductive path to the closed-grid bus, through theclosed-grid bus to each of the first conductive paths, and through thefirst conductive paths to the conductive contacts.
 2. The apparatus inaccordance with claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit boardhaving a plurality of substrate layers, the PCB traces residing on thesubstrate layers, wherein each of the conductive loops includes portionsof the PCB traces residing on more than one of the substrate layers. 3.The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprises a printedcircuit board having a first substrate layer and a second substratelayer above the first substrate layer, wherein a first subset of the PCBtraces reside spaced apart on the first substrate layer, wherein asecond subset of the PCB traces reside spaced apart on the secondsubstrate layer, wherein portions of the first subset of PCB tracescross over portions of the second substep of PCB traces, wherein the PCBvias interconnect the first subset of PCB traces with the second subsetof PCB traces at points where they cross over, and wherein each of theconductive loops includes portions of the PCB traces residing on boththe first and second substrate layers.
 4. The apparatus in accordancewith claim 1 wherein the conductive contacts comprise spring contacts.5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein each firstconductive path comprises a resistor for resistively isolating theconductive contacts from one another.
 6. The apparatus in accordancewith claim 2 wherein the conductive contacts comprise spring contacts.7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein each firstconductive path comprises a resistor for resistively isolating theconductive contacts from one another.
 8. The apparatus in accordancewith claim 3 wherein the conductive contacts comprise spring contacts.9. The apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein each firstconductive path comprises a resistor for resistively isolating theconductive contacts from one another.